Tainan Dongshan Coffee Season – Multiple Coffees Certified as Specialty Grade by CQI

▲ The 2016 Tainan Dongshan Coffee Season is set to kick off on November 12. The Agriculture Bureau and the Dongshan District Farmers' Association invited coffee businesses to showcase seasonal agricultural specialties such as coffee, i* citrus, and dried longan, as well as local delicacies. (Photo provided by the city government)

Reported by Lin Yue / Southern Taiwan

The 2016 Tainan Dongshan Coffee Season is set to kick off on November 12. On the 8th, the Tainan City Government Agriculture Bureau and the Dongshan District Farmers' Association invited coffee businesses along Provincial Highway 175 to hold a press conference at the Minzhi Municipal Government Center, showcasing seasonal agricultural specialties such as coffee, i* citrus, and dried longan, as well as local delicacies.

With the theme “Support Each Other Over Coffee, Share the Heart of Citrus,” the event will run from November 12 to December 4, spanning 23 days. The first day will feature an opening ceremony in front of the Dongshan Coffee Culture Hall organized by the Dongshan District Farmers' Association, along with cultural performances and a farmers’ market selling local specialties.

The Agriculture Bureau stated that November to December each year is the joyful harvest season in Dongshan when “the coffee ripens and the oranges stay green.” Coffee has been cultivated in the Dongshan area for 60 years, covering around 50 hectares with an annual output of about 60 metric tons. Its mild and smooth flavor has gained a solid following domestically.In recent years, through the continuous refinement by local farmers, multiple Dongshan coffees from cafes such as “]
Toushan Coffee House,” “Gaochun Workshop,” “Xiangshe Coffee,” “Jingjingfang Qingshan Coffee Classroom,” and “Shifangyuan Coffee” have obtained Specialty Grade certification (Q Certificate) from the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) in the United States..

This year, another three coffees have passed certification. At the press conference on the 8th, commemorative trophies were also awarded. Among them, “Shifangyuan Coffee” achieved an impressive score of 84.83, setting a new record for Dongshan coffee certified by CQI—proof that its quality not only meets international standards but is also improving year by year. Another standout local product, “green-skinned i* citrus,” is widely renowned. It accounts for 82% of the city’s total citrus cultivation area, covering approximately 774 hectares, with an annual yield of over 16,000 metric tons. Juicy and sweet-tart, it is a key fruit of the autumn and winter seasons.

Although this year’s abnormal climate and typhoons have led to varying degrees of reduced yields for key local agricultural products such as coffee, i* citrus, and longan in the Dongshan region, farmers remain undeterred and are doing their utmost to present the best quality to visitors. They sincerely invite everyone across the nation to support local produce with their actions, and starting November 12, come together to Dongshan to “Support Each Other Over Coffee.”